Domestic cats confined within a house or apartment are usually trained to use a litter box. Generally, the litter box includes a tray in which an absorbent material known as cat litter is placed. Cat owners place litter boxes in out-of-the-way areas such as closets or back bathrooms to minimize odors. However, the offensive odor may often be sensed throughout the area. Various types of deodorizing litter are available and help to minimize unpleasant odors.
Another problem common to the maintenance of cat litter boxes within apartments and dwellings is that cats, in the course of using the litter box or simply engaging in play, will spread the litter in the area around the litter box creating further maintenance problems. Various attempts in the prior art can be found which provide housings or enclosures in which litter boxes may be maintained to reduce odors emanating to the living area and to limit or confine the litter box to minimize tracking and spreading of the cat litter in the living area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,017 shows a housing which is mounted on the exterior side of the dwelling having a storage compartment for removably holding a litter box. A hollow, open-ended tunnel connects the interiors of the dwelling of the housing respectively. The tunnel is rigid in a cantilevered position. A pivotal door in the side of the housing or enclosure permits access for insertion or removal of a litter box. A platform panel with a central hole separates the lower compartment of the litter box from an upper compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,366 shows a window-mounted, ventilated litter box for installation on the outer wall of the house to be used with conventional, horizontal or vertical slide windows. A frame is constructed of square, thin-walled steel tubing and has walls made of acrylic to allow sunlight in while keeping a cat safe. A swinging access door is provided at the window opening. The floor of the litter unit has a screen or perforated material which allows ventilation of the litter which is maintained in a litter pan below the floor. The litter pan is easily removed from the bottom of the litter unit for outdoor cleaning. The rear of the litter unit has an upper support portion as part of the upper rear wall; the entire rear wall is dimensioned to completely surround a window opening so the invention may be used with windows that slide vertically or horizontally without need of altering the litter unit or the window in any way.
While the above patents recognize there has been a long standing need to provide a novel enclosure which can be installed to maintain a litter box, the prior art as represented by the above patents, maintain the entire enclosure exteriorly of the building. Therefore, in both cold and hot climates, the enclosure is entirely located at the exterior of the building and is subject to weather, as no part of the enclosure extends to the interior of the building area. Further, access to the litter enclosure is from the outside of the building and in some instances extensive modification or installation procedures must be performed.